This article argues that marketers should replace traditional processes with prototyping to speed up marketing and become 'agile'. View Summary

This article argues that marketers should replace traditional processes with prototyping to speed up marketing and become 'agile'.

Being agile means putting in place shorter loops between insights, ideas and creative, so planners are crucial to making marketing agile.

Instead of writing a creative brief, planners should work with a cross-functional team to prototype a creative idea - using the quick & simple digital tools available.

Being agile is ultimately about culture rather than process, and marketers should also recognise when things need to be taken more slowly and incorporate more research.

2

Agile marketing: Create a new campaign in 14 days

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John Kenny, Admap, July/August 2015, pp. 30-32

This article explains how one agency delivered a successful campaign which took only 14 days to produce, and draws out some lessons from that experience. View Summary

This article explains how one agency delivered a successful campaign which took only 14 days to produce, and draws out some lessons from that experience.

Effective advertising uses creativity and storytelling, so creatives need to be part of the process from the beginning - when the brief is delivered - to contribute to the strategy.

After the brief has been digested, the team needs input from research - and this agency has built relationships with academics to access the latest thinking, and built a team of analysts to track social media.

The key to developing ideas quickly is to work in more fluid, less formal ways, so people can share quickly and see where the creative opportunity is richest.

This agency found that having an in-house video production team made the process much quicker and easier too, as key people could be brought into the process earlier.

3

Agile marketing: Purpose keeps a brand agile

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Kate Cox, Admap, July/August 2015, pp. 33-35

This articles argues that to be agile a brand needs a high-level emotionally engaging idea or purpose that can be easily adapted to multiple campaign executions. View Summary

This articles argues that to be agile a brand needs a high-level emotionally engaging idea or purpose that can be easily adapted to multiple campaign executions.

'Agile marketing' applies processes pioneered in software development to marketing, including multidisciplinary teams and using time blocks or 'sprints' to finish tasks.

The brand itself should not become more changeable, but should be redefined to connect with consumers across the whole business, not just marketing.

Rather than spending time making sure all communications have a common visual identity, the brand should be the rallying cry - the fixed point everything else moves around.

4

Agile marketing: Marketing with velocity

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Ross Barnes, Admap, July/August 2015, pp. 20-22

This article argues that brands need to balance speed and consideration to make their marketing 'agile'. View Summary

This article argues that brands need to balance speed and consideration to make their marketing 'agile'.

Agile marketing requires marketers to respond speedily, but with a clear direction and keeping in mind long-term as well as short-term objectives.

Too much speed and too little direction can lead to hastily thought-out messages, with potential damage to the brand.

Proactive planning and smart data should be used within an adaptable framework to reach new audiences and develop interesting content.

Brands also need to rethink how marketing functions as it becomes more about a two-way conversation.

5

Agile marketing: From waterfall to agile planning

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Peter Sena, Admap, July/August 2015, pp. 26-27

This article argues that the digital landscape requires cross-functional teams and agile marketing practices, and gives examples of brands that are getting it right. View Summary

This article argues that the digital landscape requires cross-functional teams and agile marketing practices, and gives examples of brands that are getting it right.

Waterfall planning used to work, but empowered consumers and an exploding digital landscape has changed that - marketers need to be 'agile'.

Agile marketing means being able to react with flexibility when something happens that affects the plan, keeping in touch with consumers as their attention roams.

All agile and real-time strategies should be broken down into goals, strategies, objectives and tactics.

In this agile world, members of planning teams need to be multi-skilled and able to fulfil different roles and needs.

This article argues that successful real-time marketing requires pre-planning, and gives guidelines for five areas marketers should think about.

Brands should determine the 'person' talking on social media, as well as the tone and responsibilities within the team, and organise around a 'mission'.

Teams should add new 'triggers' for marketing activity to their communications calendars, including social listening, news updates, cultural trends and sales data.

Looking over data as a team on a daily basis will help marketers mine the 'triggers' for creative opportunities which can then be executed.

Brands should also look ahead to real-time opportunities they know are likely to happen, but are not sure exactly when - this especially applies to weather-related opportunities, and means brands can get ahead on the creative work.

It's also important to plan for worst-case scenarios, including those outside of the brand, and establish criteria for stopping or continuing activity, along with an exit-plan.

7

From the editor: Marketing at speed

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Colin Grimshaw, Admap, July/August 2015, pp. 3-3

In his editorial, Colin Grimshaw introduce the July/August 2015 issue of Admap, with a focus on 'agile marketing'. View Summary

In his editorial, Colin Grimshaw introduce the July/August 2015 issue of Admap, with a focus on 'agile marketing'.

There is a difference between reactive and adaptive marketing, with the latter building the brand in the longer term.

Pre-planning is key to agility including setting parameters, assigning responsibilities and focussing on a 'mission'.

Moving out of silos and promoting collaboration between teams also helps marketers to move more quickly.

In this collection of articles the various elements of the online advertising ecosystem are explained. View Summary

In this collection of articles the various elements of the online advertising ecosystem are explained. The articles enable advertisers to take advantage of the opportunities offered by programmatic advertising through understanding the companies and processes involved. This article focuses on demand-side platforms.

In this collection of articles the various elements of the online advertising ecosystem are explained. View Summary

In this collection of articles the various elements of the online advertising ecosystem are explained. The articles enable advertisers to take advantage of the opportunities offered by programmatic advertising through understanding the companies and processes involved. This article focuses on supply-side platforms.

In this collection of articles the various elements of the online advertising ecosystem are explained. View Summary

In this collection of articles the various elements of the online advertising ecosystem are explained. The articles enable advertisers to take advantage of the opportunities offered by programmatic advertising through understanding the companies and processes involved. This article focuses on DMP's, data suppliers and data aggregators.

11

The Programmatic Primer: Retargeting in the online advertising ecosystem

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Ted McConnell, Warc Exclusive, July 2015

In this collection of articles the various elements of the online advertising ecosystem are explained. View Summary

In this collection of articles the various elements of the online advertising ecosystem are explained. The articles enable advertisers to take advantage of the opportunities offered by programmatic advertising through understanding the companies and processes involved. This article focuses on retargeting.

12

The Programmatic Primer: Exchanges in the online advertising ecosystem

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Ted McConnell, Warc Exclusive, July 2015

In this collection of articles the various elements of the online advertising ecosystem are explained. View Summary

In this collection of articles the various elements of the online advertising ecosystem are explained. The articles enable advertisers to take advantage of the opportunities offered by programmatic advertising through understanding the companies and processes involved. This article focuses on ad exchanges.

13

The Programmatic Primer: An overview of the online advertising ecosystem

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Ted McConnell, Warc Exclusive, July 2015

In this collection of articles the various elements of the online advertising ecosystem are explained. View Summary

In this collection of articles the various elements of the online advertising ecosystem are explained. The articles enable advertisers to take advantage of the opportunities offered by programmatic advertising through understanding the companies and processes involved. This article provides an overview of the collection. Advertisers who have been smart using programmatic technology have harvested huge returns, but to the outsider the online advertising ecosystem can be confusing. To get online ecosystem buying right, it is necessary to know what needs to be learnt, how to learn, and what will be done with that knowledge. The best way for advertisers to be sure that all available tools are being used creatively is to understand the processes involved. Programmatic enables media buyers need to get the right message to the right person. Data makes matching of need to message possible.

14

The Programmatic Primer: Ad verification and privacy

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Ted McConnell, Warc Exclusive, July 2015

In this collection of articles the various elements of the online advertising ecosystem are explained. View Summary

In this collection of articles the various elements of the online advertising ecosystem are explained. The articles enable advertisers to take advantage of the opportunities offered by programmatic advertising through understanding the companies and processes involved. This article focuses on ad verification and privacy.

15

The Programmatic Primer: Tag management in the online advertising ecosystem

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Ted McConnell, Warc Exclusive, July 2015

In this collection of articles the various elements of the online advertising ecosystem are explained. View Summary

In this collection of articles the various elements of the online advertising ecosystem are explained. The articles enable advertisers to take advantage of the opportunities offered by programmatic advertising through understanding the companies and processes involved. This article focuses on tag management.

16

The Programmatic Primer: Sharing and social tools in the online advertising ecosystem

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Ted McConnell, Warc Exclusive, July 2015

In this collection of articles the various elements of the online advertising ecosystem are explained. View Summary

In this collection of articles the various elements of the online advertising ecosystem are explained. The articles enable advertisers to take advantage of the opportunities offered by programmatic advertising through understanding the companies and processes involved. This article focuses on sharing and social tools.

17

The Programmatic Primer: Creative optimization in the online advertising ecosystem

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Ted McConnell, Warc Exclusive, July 2015

In this collection of articles the various elements of the online advertising ecosystem are explained. View Summary

In this collection of articles the various elements of the online advertising ecosystem are explained. The articles enable advertisers to take advantage of the opportunities offered by programmatic advertising through understanding the companies and processes involved. This article focuses on creative optimisation.

This article argues that big data changes the relationship between data and creativity; instead of data fuelling the creative idea, creativity is now needed to handle the data. View Summary

This article argues that big data changes the relationship between data and creativity; instead of data fuelling the creative idea, creativity is now needed to handle the data.

A traditional view of data in advertising is that data is used to generate insights and form the 'big idea', but 'big data' changes how data functions within the creative process.

Learning more about the world in which people live helps advertisers derive bigger insights from data modelling, and bring that process closer to real-time and into experiences.

In fuelling targeting, big data gives advertisers more creative scope: instead of one-size-fits-all messaging, creatives can now work on multiple, personalised messages and observe effectiveness in real-time.

However, the ability to test and measure can also crush creativity by bringing 'learnings' from previous campaigns into the next one, limiting creative scope.

On the data-analysis side, the large amounts of unstructured data inherent within big data requires increasing amounts of creativity to interrogate and use it - IBM is one company leading on this.

19

How data unlocks just-in-time creativity

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Alex Steer, Admap, Admap Prize, 2015

This article argues that as change within markets accelerates, big data can help marketers better understand what is happening and what impact their communications are having. View Summary

This article argues that as change within markets accelerates, big data can help marketers better understand what is happening and what impact their communications are having.

Too often, marketers feel like they need to be perfect and right in all of their judgements, and this mindset makes big data an attractive prospect.

In contrast, people say they prefer brands that are honest, responsive and willing to listen - they want more human brands and are willing to forgive mistakes.

The role of big data should be in understanding the impact of various communications efforts - and understanding much more quickly than before.

This event report outlines how HotelTonight, an app enabling last-minute hotel reservations, is aiming to transform the travel category.

Major players like Expedia, Priceline and Orbitz rapidly made the journey from disruption to mainstream adoption, but were initially designed for desktop browsing and booking.

HotelTonight has taken a mobile-first approach, streamlining the number of hotels listed and working with accommodation providers to secure goods prices on last-minute inventory.

To stay top of mind among consumers – a vital goal in the travel sector – the firm has focused on innovation, shifted towards brand-building and gained a deep understanding of its user base and the industry as a whole.

21

Marketing at the speed of culture: How Nissan does it

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Low Lai Chow, Event Reports, Digital marketing Asia, April 2015

This event report suggests that marketers can identify and exploit relevant cultural trends but need to be ready to do so in a timely manner. View Summary

This event report suggests that marketers can identify and exploit relevant cultural trends but need to be ready to do so in a timely manner.

That could mean developing a start-up mentality in order to learn from social listening and react quickly to develop new ideas and launch them.

Being able to adapt strategy and execution on the basis of data thus derived can help drive incremental results.

Nissan's one-off response to celebrity tweet, for example, sparked an ongoing conversation that opened up a whole new fanbase for the auto brand.

22

How a tweeting ball won the World Cup for adidas

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Stephen Whiteside, Event Reports, IEG Sponsorship, May 2015

This event report outlines how adidas, the sports brand, scored an unlikely success at the 2014 World Cup through establishing a Twitter account for its official match ball, the "brazuca". View Summary

This event report outlines how adidas, the sports brand, scored an unlikely success at the 2014 World Cup through establishing a Twitter account for its official match ball, the "brazuca".

During the 2010 World Cup, its official ball had received vocal criticism - and the growth of social-media usage, particularly parody accounts, exacerbated the threat for 2014.

To proactively prepare for such a possibility, adidas used its brazuca ball to provide a unique, and witty, insight into the event.

Alongside leveraging real-time marketing, the brand had various prepared assets to draw on, and even sent the brazuca on a pre-event tour to generate interest before the World Cup began.

23

Advertising in context: Make real-time the right time

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Phil Shaw, Admap, May 2015

This article argues that, rather than prioritising between technology and creativity, the key to success is in developing creative big ideas that are true to the brand, and using data and technology-driven approaches to execute them in the right context. View Summary

This article argues that, rather than prioritising between technology and creativity, the key to success is in developing creative big ideas that are true to the brand, and using data and technology-driven approaches to execute them in the right context.

Evolving technology and an always-on environment mean brands have more ability than ever to advertise, engage and entice consumers throughout their day.

However, with more media competition and lower attention, communications that are delivered in the most relevant context and when people are most receptive are likely to be the most successful.

In a technology-driven environment, however, marketers must not lose sight of creativity: without compelling and engaging creative, brand communications will fail to connect.

24

Social media: Get personal with fast food

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Sunando Das, Admap, May 2015

This article explains how social media insights can be harnessed, together with survey insights, to help marketers develop personalised, one-to-one marketing strategies. View Summary

This article explains how social media insights can be harnessed, together with survey insights, to help marketers develop personalised, one-to-one marketing strategies.

The article draws on a study by TNS into quick service restaurants in the UK which yielded six need-state segments, based on a psychological segmentation framework.

The study combined survey data with data mined from Twitter and established that foundational insights for strategic planning cannot be based on social media data alone.

The ability to replicate strategic survey segments in social media data can help marketers develop social channel, content and targeting strategies and reveal personalisation opportunities.

25

Coca-Cola's road to Rio 2016

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Stephen Whiteside, Event Reports, IEG Sponsorship, April 2015

This event report outlines how Coca-Cola's sponsorship programs of the Olympics has evolved since 2008 – and the main issues shaping the company's thinking before the 2016 Games in Brazil. View Summary

This event report outlines how Coca-Cola's sponsorship programs of the Olympics has evolved since 2008 – and the main issues shaping the company's thinking before the 2016 Games in Brazil.

Having made major strides in the mobile and social space during the last two summer Olympics, Coca-Cola is planning to ramp up its content, relevance and engagement in Rio.

Real-time marketing was a major feature of its efforts surrounding the 2014 FIFA World Cup – also in Brazil – and is likely to play a crucial role in Brazil.

Looking ahead to the next Olympics and beyond, sponsorship rights holders need to help their partner brands in terms of creating and distributing content, thus helping them ward off the threat of guerrilla marketing campaigns.